Kank
Kanks are large docile insects often used as mounts by the people of the Tablelands. A black exoskeleton of chitin covers their segmented bodies. The three body sections are the head, thorax, and abdomen. They weigh as much as 400 pounds, grow to heights of 4 feet at the back, and as long as 8 feet from head to abdomen. Around their mouths they have multijointed pincers that they can use to carry objects, feed themselves, or fight. Six lanky legs descend from their thoraxes. Each ends in a single flexible claw that allows them to grip the surfaces they walk upon. Kanks are often used as caravan mounts. They can travel a full day at their top speed, carrying a 200-pound passenger and 200 pounds of cargo. Kanks make decent herd animals, but usually only elves employ them as such. As kanks can digest almost any sort of organic matter, they can thrive in most terrain types. In addition, these creatures require little special attention. A kank hive instinctively organizes itself into food producers, soldiers, and brood queens. Food producing kanks secrete melon-sized globules of green honey. These are stored in their abdomens and used to feed the hive’s young. (When other sources of food are scarce, this honey is also used to feed the rest of the hive.) Humans and demihumans can live exclusively on this nectar for up to three weeks before their bodies begin demanding other sources of nutrition, such as meats and vegetables. The sweet taste of the nectar is the only thing that attracts herders to these creatures, and domesticated kanks produce more globules than those living in the wild. When the brood queens prepares to lay eggs, the hive digs into an area of extensive vegetation. Each queen can lay 20 to 50 eggs. While the hive waits for the eggs to hatch (it won’t move from the spot until they do), the soldier kanks ferociously defend the area from all predators. Herders must wait as well or abandon the hive. A kank’s pincers cause 1d6 points of damage. In addition, a target hit by the pincers must save versus poison or be paralyzed in 2d12 rounds. The effects of the poison wear off after 2d6 hours. Note that only soldier kanks produce poison. Food producing kanks can fight if necessary, but brood queens never join in a battle-even to defend themselves or their young. While the globules of honey produced by kanks are sweet and good tasting, only the most desperate carrion eater will consume kank flesh. When a kank dies, its body produces chemicals that drench the meat with a foul-smelling odor that can make even the hungriest giant sick. Kank chitin can be fashioned into armor (AC 5), though its brittle nature makes it susceptible to shattering. Every time the armor is hit, there’s a 20% chance it will shatter and be rendered useless. Clossial Kanks While unknown on Toril, some kanks on other planes, notably the Abyss can grow to huge size. Large enough to hold an entire city. Category:Vermin Category:Insects